Hand-held isokinetic-exercise ring

ABSTRACT

The current invention is an isokinetic-exercise ring. Specifically, the invention is comprised of two rigid concentric rings. The inner ring is large enough to fit over a user&#39;s shoulders and/or waist. The outer ring is approximately 150% larger in diameter than the inner ring. The two rings are strapped together with elastic cord. A user grasps either inner or outer ring on opposite sides and pulses the invention in and out or in a twisting motion. Pulsing in turn causes the ring not being grasped to oscillate. Oscillation can be achieved in front of, above or around the user&#39;s body. By maintaining oscillation, the user will experience an isokinetic exercise.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Provisional patent by Michael Theuer filed Feb. 12, 2011 entitled “Isokinetic-oscillating-exercise apparatus with a circular shape” granted application Ser. No. 61/442,234.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the technical field of human fitness equipment. More particularly, it is in the field of fitness equipment that is hand-held and produces an isokinetic exercise. Isokinetic exercise is a resistance-based exercise designed to provide a specific level of resistance while maintaining a consistent speed of limb movement. The idea behind isokinetic exercise is to achieve the highest degree of muscle contraction while also promoting a free range of movement of the limbs.

Prior art in the field of hand-held isokinetic-exercise equipment is U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,262, Sep. 15, 1992, by Hymanson. Hymanson's invention was a flexible bar approximately 5 feet in length which a user could grasp in the center by one or two hands. If the user could shake the bar rhythmically, the bar would oscillate symmetrically at both ends between 3 and 7 times per second. And when the user would quickly push and pull against this oscillation, the user would get an isokinetic workout. The workout was limited however, by the user's grip. The centralized grip with both hands restricted the user's range of motion which in turn reduced the range of exercise.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a hand-held isokinetic-exerciser ring which allows for a wider grip and in turn a wider range of exercise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a close-up view of the present invention showing the manner in which the ends of the strapping are bound and the strapping is bound to the rings;

FIG. 4 is a view of the present invention being used while held in front of the user's body and oscillated in and out;

FIG. 5 is a view of the present invention being used while held around the user's waist and oscillated in a twisting motion;

FIG. 6 is a view of the present invention being used while held around the user's head and oscillated up and down;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the invention in more detail, FIG. 1 shows the invention consists of two concentric rings. Furthermore, these concentric rings are strapped together with an elastic cord.

The rings shown in FIGS. 1 through 6 were constructed as follows. The inner ring has a diameter of 26″. Ideally this diameter should be large enough to fit around a user's waist and/or stomach. The outer ring has a diameter of 38″ which is approximately 150% larger than that of the inner ring. Each ring was constructed of ¾″ electrical-metal-conduit. The conduit was bent into a ring by hand using a standard ¾″-pipe bender. The pipe ends were then joined together with an electrical-conduit coupler to create one rigid ring.

The strapping shown in FIGS. 1 through 6 was constructed as follows. The strapping used was a ⅜″ rubber cord commonly known as bungee cord. The bungee cord was wrapped around the concentric rings eleven times evenly spaced. The ends of the bungee were then knotted and further bound together with a plastic ligature called a cable tie. FIG. 3 illustrates the method for knotting and binding (11) the bungee ends. FIG. 3 also shows that the bungee was bound with a cable tie to the rings (12). FIG. 1 shows this binding occurred on the small ring twice (13) and twice on the large ring (14). Furthermore FIG. 1 shows the bindings on the large and small rings were opposite one another (15).

Uses of the invention are shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6. FIG. 4 shows a user grasping opposite sides of the inner ring while holding the invention in front of his body. By rhythmically pulsing the inner ring in and out, the user causes the outer ring to oscillate in the opposite direction out and in. FIG. 5 shows a user again grasping opposite sides of the inner ring while holding the invention around his waist. By rhythmically twisting the inner ring front to back, the user causes the outer ring to oscillate in the opposite direction in a twisting motion back to front. Finally FIG. 6 shows a user grasping opposite sides of the outer ring while holding the invention around his head. By rhythmically pulsing the outer ring up and down, the user causes the inner ring to oscillate in the opposite direction down and up. Oscillation can be achieved in many other hand and body positions not illustrated herein. Oscillation can also be achieved by using different muscle groups ranging from the calves to the forearms. And by maintaining oscillation in any position the user will experience an isokinetic exercise.

While the preceding description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention.

Here are some variations within the scope and spirit of the invention. The rings described may be other than circular (octagonal, square) as long as the rings remain rigid, maintain their relative-size difference, fit one inside the other, and the inner ring fits over the user's shoulders. The outer ring might be made heavier than the inner ring to promote greater oscillation, as long as the outer-ring weight does not exceed the elastic strength of the strapping which supports it. The strapping may be different material (rubber bands, springs) and may vary in elasticity, as long as the strapping can snap back quickly to length. Less elasticity, for example, would make the exerciser harder to oscillate creating a harder workout. The strapping may also be fastened to each ring differently than the above embodiment, as long as the elastic were free to stretch back and forth. A segment of elastic cord could be hooked to an anchor point on the inner ring, for example, looped over a small wheel or glide on the outer ring, and then returned to another inner-ring anchor—and so on around the circumference of the rings. 

1. A method of exercising using an oscillating apparatus comprised of: two concentric rings strapped together with elastic cord, the smallest ring being large enough to fit around a user's shoulders and/or waist and the outer ring being approximately 150% larger in diameter, grasping either concentric ring, and rhythmically pulsing said ring in order to cause the other ring to oscillate in an opposite pulsing motion, or rhythmically twisting said ring in order to cause the other ring to oscillate in an opposite twisting motion, oscillating said apparatus while the apparatus is held before, above, beside or around the user,
 2. The method of exercising in claim 1 wherein said concentric rings are strapped together with elastic cord.
 3. The method of exercising in claim 1 wherein the inner concentric ring is large enough to fit around a user's waist and or shoulders.
 4. The method of exercising in claim 1 wherein the outer concentric ring is approximately 150% larger in diameter than the inner ring. 